Automatically-operated illuminated advertiser.



L. L. MACK 5k l. D. NORTON.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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L L. MACK Hf. D. HORTON.

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APPLUAHON FILED l'lll, IVE, 1HE),

'Patented May 16, 191 1.

nl SHEETS SHEET -1 away. Fig. 5 isi a front View thereof.

LUTHER L. MACK .AND RALPH D. HORTON, OF LONGBEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOBS T0 GENERAL APPLIANCE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALI- FORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CA'LIJEORNIA.`

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERATED ILLUMINATED ADVERTISER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented May 16, 1911.

Arppleation filed February 23, 1910. Serial No. 545,352.5.

To all who/n it may concern:

le il known lli-at we. lii'rlinn li. M wu and ltnmn l). llon'rox. bolli eilxem ol the lnileil Stilles ol` Anna-uta, anil liolli resillingr al llonnlieaeh, in [he eounly ol' Los ,\n gelen :nnl x*late o'll (laliliornia, have inwnllal eert-ain Vneuv ainl useful ln'xprowinenls in Arulionlatieally-()})e1ale l lIlluminated l YertiSeis, o'l' which the il'ollon'ingl in a npe -i lieation.

lThe 4gnineipal ohjeelV olE oni' invenlion is lo perfect an 'lar an possible an aeein'alely loiululalile hul simple xneann` 'lor (he anlomatie` opei'alion ol an oiilinaly sleleoplieon which in nneil l'oL' ille purpose ol displaying inleriniltenlly upon a Suitahle nei-veingroninl llana or olher .Lnn'l'zu'ea a Series ol' pirlln'el or :nlwrlseinenlx=, in regrnhnsnwession, willioutinanljialaid,oi'nwiislaiue.il heini; our aina to neeoinpliill the (lesirorl result hy the une ot' the simplest nieehanieal nlolion I an l strlnfl'nral design, fln oni' nlpi'oveinenla this result is ohtainerl :unl lhe onl \r allein tion neetlt-l `for the Starling' or stopping: oll the inaehine by means ol an orllinary eleetrie Switch.

Uur invention eonSiSlS in the novel coin-- hinnlion ol deriven as hereinal'lor (lenmfilml anil elaiinefl. I

Vln oriler that our invention may he 'ully umflerssiood ne will proceed to leherihe it with reference to the aoeolnpunying ilrawings, in which:

Figure l a View ol' ou' automatically operated illuminated advertiser partly in Sitle elevation and partly in Section on the center line. Fig. 2 is n View thereolE partly in front elevation and partly in section on the center line. Fig. is a top plan View of the same; the upper part ol the easing;l being omitted. Fig. 4 is an end View of the carrier wheel and attachments partly broken Fig, 6 'is a. rear elevation of the operating means parl-ly in Section. Fig. 7 is a View of the (nberatingr means partly in front elevation and 'partly in section. Fig. 8 is a view ol the irrojeelzing apparatus partly in elevation :mtl partly in section. Fig. 9 1s a side View oil one oli the frames, or links of the endless :slide carrier. Fig. l0 .is n tranSVerse section thereof. lfig. 1l is n diagram of the eleelrie ein-nihl nei'easal'y l`oi ilu-operation of llne machine.

is a earlier wheel having` lnelal elul plateny u", inonnlerl upon :l Carrier lhall (l,

nul ser'nreil hy huh (links u, l'ahlenell lo-' lnelal sparing' rolls ll pi-mhlerl will] einlv egim-nl ll. having' their ll'onl allies znlaplal lo snppoi'l the adinet-nl ilen ol. (he slilli holden` l, unil ean'h l'ronl (aigre olI the non nunl in Iol'lnerl with a looh :ulaplml lo einer :l spalaor inler.-;ivu luannen the sliile lnihlera. 'l`heizni'iel' .ahal'l l ia join'- nalml in hearings n. u. sealed upon Treinen, or slznularllx. u. n, inonnlwl upon the lower parl, oi' lmao. nl [he raging A.`\l.

l ix an endless ehain sliile 'arrier travel-- ing' upon lha` ':nIel' wheel This nliile a1-Viel' eonsials ol' :i eonlinnoim Serien of hanne 7n in ille l'orni ol. links spared apart. :nul tonnel-tml log-ether liy hinges {'F, :nul having;y porlwu` '/f. in uhieh [hey sliileh` o', are renrwalily inseilell enllu'ir-:e oll llncal'- i'iox' wheel l is a Suilahle Aguiile within the hase ol,E the easing: l'oi'wlireeling ilu` #lille carrier l through (he` lmse oll [he niaehine.

(l is an inner rah-hel wheel having teeth worres]iontlinj.;l in nnnihel' lo the nuinliei' oli Spacing rofls n, on [he carrier wheel A, and loealeil upon [he carrier shalt n, mljaeenly lo the earrier wheel and in'ovnlml with a. huh w. seoin'erl by a sei. holt to the earl-ier shaft u.

l) is an outer ratchet wheel having teeth antl Seals or slots (l. (zorreslmnling in ninnloer lo the nnnilur olE the spacing' rolls a, on the carrier wheel A :nul to the nnniber of teeth on the inner raleheln'heel (l and is also lorateil upon the Carrier shall. a, and provided with ay huh (Z2, secured hy n Set holt to the carrier shaft. a..

E a. paw] or ratchet located over the inner ratchet `wheel `C :nul having a. bifurealerl tooth n, adapted to embrace the edge of the inner ratchet wheel Grand to engage the teeth thm-ooi?.l The pnwl E is operated a. This tension spring ll is provided for pulling the pawl ll and the ratchet wheel (l forward. K is another coil spring extend ing from the pawl Fr to the lever l and secured at its inner end to the pawl E and at itsI outer end to the lever E for holding the pawl yieldingly in engagement with the teeth of thc ratchet wheel C.

The frame a3 has an np 'ard extension g, for supporting a rectangular horizontal frame g, carrying an electromagnet coil G for use on either a direct or alternating current. This horizontal frame g', has secured to its ends depending arms g2. To the in*- ner arm g2, is fulcrumed an armature y used in connection with the coil and having its free end guided between the outer arms g2, and provided with a plunger l",y

which engages with the teeth of and enters the seats or slots Z and forms a lock for the outer ratchet wheel D; being guided thereover between arms y", extending from the extension g, beneath the armature g3.

lVithin the lower part of the -asiug M is a stand X on which is mounted a housing O, in the lower part of which is journaled a lower worin shaft. V, carrying a worm U, meshing with a worm wheel l), fixed to a Aworm wheel shaft R, jonrnaled in the up' per part of the housing O. Fixed to the inner end of the worm wheel shaft R, on one side of the lower end of the lever E', are a pair of disks n, u, connected together by bolts a2, so as to form a cam wheel N,

the bolts n2 of which are adapted to engage and swing the lever F/ for operating the pawl E, so as to adr-ance the ratchet wheel C intermittently.

S is an outer connnutator of non-conducting material fixed on the worin wheel shaft R and provided with two or more metal contacts S, for the control of the coil G and 7L and it are metal brushes for malting contactwith the metal contacts S, on the commntator S and connected each with one of the circuits (/5 of the coil G.

P is a suitable lamp for the purpose of projecting upon the screen the matter upon the slides b, the particular lamp in this instance being a special incandescent lamp.

T is an inner commutator fixed on the worm wheel shaft. R, and used for the control of the lamp P.

71,2 and ll.8 are metal brushesfor making Contact with the inner coinmutator T and contacts on theoutcr commutator S.

this c1rcu1t is closed the coil G 1s energlzed connected each with one side of the lamp circuit. A part of the circumference of the conunntator T is of non-cmnlucting material for the purpose of breaking the eir- `cuitfof the lamp l.

W is a. shcave on the worm shaft driven by a belt y, connected with a suitable electric motor Y also located within the base.

s and s are a pair of condensers, and t a suitable leus and with the lamp l) all inclosed in a housing ym, which the frames of the sli'de :arrier pass throughvbetween the. condeuscrs s, s and the lens t.

The current entering from the supply line, after passing the customary fuses, is split, one circuit embracing an individual switch N and the motor Y. The other circuit is split, one of the branches embracing the brushes L. and zf, the cmuiuutator S, the magnet Gr and an individual switch N', the circuit being closed at regular intervals by the revolution of the commutator S bringing a conducting portion adjacent the brushes lz, and h. The other branch of this circuit embraces brushes Il? and It, commutator T, lamp 1" and an individual switch N', the circuit: being interrupted at regular intervals by' the revolution of the commutator T bringing a non-conducting portion adjacent brushes il? and h3. These circuits are of insulated wire preferably.

The following is a description of the operation of the machine. The motor Y attached to an ordinary electric lamp socket, (not shown), operates the worm gear combination, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7,by means of a -belt i/ connected to thedrive wheel WT mounted upon the shaft V on which is the worm U which operates the worm wheel P on the worm wheel shaft R, and also the cominutators T and S and the cam wheel N on the same worm wheel shaft. R.- By means of the contacts on the outer eommutator S and c the brushes 7L and it?, the circuit of the electromagnet or coil Gr is closed at each full, half or quarter revolution of the Worm wheel shaft R, according to .the number of lVhen and the core of the coil becomes magnetized and attracts the armature g3 to'which is attached the plunger F thus lifting the plunger from its seat in the outer ratchet wheel D and unlocking' this wheel and allowing v the pawl E, which is pulling against a tooth in the inner ratchet wheel C to pull the inner ratchet wheel C one point for* ward bycmeans of the tension of the coil spring H to which it is attached. The metal points on the circumference 0f the outer commutator S having by this time passed dat of contact with the brushes 71. and h, the armature g3 is released and allows the plunger F to drop into a position on the circumference of the outer ratchet wheel D,

- `slides at will.

where when the it'orward motion of the ratchet; wheel l) 1s completed, the plunger drops into another seat as be't'or f, thus again locking;y the outer ratchet wheel. By this action the carrier wheel has moved one point itor 'ard and has earrieda trame l) with a new slide o in the endless chain slide carrier l into position in front ot the condensers in the projecting appa ratus and pre,4 pa atory for the matter upon the slide to be projected upon the screen. At the instant that. the carrier shat't has stopped its torward niotion the vertical lever ll is engaged hy one ot the bolts n, on the cam wheel N, which, traveling)r around with the worm wheel shatt llt imparts a` positivebzu-ki ward motion to tht: pawl E and returns it to a position on the eircumference ot the inner ratchet wheel (l ready to again pull the inner ratchet wheel forward. This backward motion serves to place the coil springl ll again in tension and prepared for another ope ation.

The number ot .Spacing rods d on the carrier wheel A. and the number ot teeth on the ratchet wheel` C and the number of seats or slots il in the ratchet wheel I`) being the, same, the operation of the various parts is lnxrmonious. i

The sprocket teeth on the rod.' n in the carrier wheel lr engage the interstices loetween the frames or links in the endless chain slide carrier B and thus prevent a forward or backward motion of the chain upon the carrier wheel and cause the slides in the carrier to be placed in exact position it'or proper projection in the projecting ap paratns. lhe `metal end plates and disks 'forming the. ends to the carrier wheel, ,A serve to prevent anyY motion sidewise on the wheel. 'By our -means otl accurately placing in succession the various slides o in the slide carrier in a true and neutral position in the projecting' appa 'atns a constant l'ocus` is maintained.

The frames or ,links in the endless chain slide carrier .ll are hinged together bv anyr suitable hinge be, and are open at one end to allow the placing' aml removing ot tht` lt, is possible to change the slidesI in the carrier while. the nnichine is in motion.

Ply means o|` the eonnnutalor 'l having' on its cirenmt'crenre a short space on nonconductingf; material or bv other means the lampll. is darkened just bcl'ore thc operation ot the machine as above de-y scribed and remains dark until thc operation is completo and a new .slide is in place in the projecting apparatus. when llaI partJ ot' the revolution having been completed, the Contact is again established and thelamp circuit; closed, allowing' the lamp to light. 'lvhe usc otE this principle renders it possible. to flash each new :nlvertiscment or picture.

upon the screen and does not display the operation of the machine, or the disappearance ot' one slide and the appea ance of another.

By means of an individual switch N the circuit of the eoil G the motor Y and the lamp ll it is possible for the purpose of ad justment to stop the operation ot either the coil G or the lamp l without stopping the motor Y.

AI-l'avingl' thus' described our invention the following is what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

l. The :arrier wheel comprisingr a carrier shatt, end plates, mounted on the carrier sha't't, hub disks secured to the end plates and to the farrier shaft, and spacingr rods, each having' end segments each formed with a tooth, and secured near to the peripheries ol the end plates.

E2. The carrier wheel comprising a carrier shalt, end plates mounted on the carrier sha't't, hub disks secured to the end platesl and to the carrier shaft, a distance sleeve mounted on' the carrier sha ft. between the hub disks, and spacing; rods each having end segments each Vt'ormed with a tooth, and sv cured near to the peripheries ot the end plates.

il. 'llle combination of the carrier wheel comprising; a carrier shaft, end plates mounted on the carrier shalt, hub disks se cured to the end plates and to the carrier shaltv and spacing' rods cach having end segments each t'ormed with a tooth and secured near lo the peripheries ol' the end plates, and an endless chain slide carrier consisting ot' a continuons series ot trames hinged together and spaced apart so as to receive the segment teeth between them and to travel on the toothed front edges ot the segments.

l. 'lhc combination. `with a carrier shalt; ol' the ratchet wheel, the pawl, the vertical lever to which the pawl is pivoted, :L spring,r adapted to pull on the pawl, a spring adapt ed to hold the pa wl to the ratchet wheel a il connectingv the pawl with the verti `al lever'7 and a cam adapted to engage aml swing the vertici l lever intermittently.

7. 'lhe combination with a farrier shal't; ol' the ratchet wheel, the pawl, the vertical lever to which the pawl pivoted, a springy adapted lo pull on the pawl, a spring adapted to hohl the pawl to the ratchet wheel and connecting the pawl with the vertical lever, and means adapted to engage. and swing' the vertical lever intermittently, consisting ot' a motor driven worm gea' and shal't, and a cam wheel havingl a pair of disks connected h v bolts adapted to engage the vertical lever.

(3. 'l`he combination with the `arrier shaft, ol the inner ratchet Vwheel tixed thereto, the pawl, the vertical level' to which the pawl is pivoted, a spring adapted to pull on the pa wl, a spring adapted lo hold the pawl to the inner ratchet-Wheel, means adapted to swing the vertical lever intermittently, consisting of a motor driven Worm gear and shaft and a cam Wheel having a pair of disksl connected by bolts and adapted to engage the vertical lever and means for -controlling the rotation of the carrier shaft consisting of an outer ratchet wheel thereon having locking slots, a coil, an armature carrying a plunger seating in the slots of the outer ratchet Wheel, a comniutator fixed to the Worm Wheel shaft, having contactsv and brushes and circuits connecting the contacts With the coil.

7. The combination with the carrier shaft, of the inner ratchet Wheel fixed thereto, the pawl, the vertical lever to which the paWl is pivoted, a spring adapted to pull on the paivl, a spring adapted to hold the paivlto the inner ratchet Wheel, means adapted to swing the vertical lever intermittently, consisting of a motor driven Worm gear and shaft and a cam Wheel having a pair of disks connected by bolts and adapted to engage the vertical lever and means for controlling the rotation of the carrier shaft consisting of an outer ratchet Wheel thereon having locking slots, an extension frame, a horizonta-l arm carrying a plunger seating in the slots of the outer ratchet Wheel and a horizontal arm attached to the vertical lever.

S. The combination of a motor driven worm gear and shaft, a lamp, a coinmutator, fixed to the Worm Wheel shaft, and having a. body of non-conducting material and a metal rim around the circumference, and not wholly covering the Width of thc body, the rim having a flattened depression at a point on the circumference, and brushes in contact therewith, and circuits connecting the lamp with the coinniutator.

9. An automatically operated illuminating advertiser, comprising the combination of a projecting apparatus, having a lamp, a carrierv Wheel, an endless chain slide carrier, traveling through the projecting apparatus, means for rotating the carrier Wheel intermittently, consisting of a motor driven Worm gear and shaft and a cam Wheel hav-v f traveling through the projecting apparatus,

means for rotating the carrier Wheel intermittently, consisting of a motor driven Worm gear and shaft, and a cam Wheel having a pair of disks'connected by bolts, and adapted to engage the vertical lever, and means for controlling the rotation of the carrier Wheel, consisting of an extension frame,

a horizontal arm carrying a plunger seating in the slots of the outer ratchet Wheel, and a horizontal arm attached to. the Vvertical lever, and a means for shutting off the lamp during themovement of the carrier Wheel, consisting of a commutator fixed t0 the Worm wheel shaft and having av body of nonconducting material and a metal rim aroundy the circumference partially covering the Width of the body, a flattened depression in the metal rim and brushes in contact there-A With.

LUTHER L. MACK. RALPH D. HoirroN.

vWitnesses p Guo. L. HooDnNrYL, STEPHEN G. LONG. 

